Gyokeres named captain for Burnley clash FPL team of the week 2026

Arsenal’s Viktor Gyokeres leads the FPL team of the week with a home game against Burnley offering high upside.

Final two gameweeks With only two matchdays remaining in the FPL season, now is the moment to take calculated risks on players with potential for big returns. This week features a standout fixture: title-chasing Arsenal hosting Burnley, whose defense has struggled to keep clean sheets. The Gunners’ attacking options could provide excellent value ahead of the season’s conclusion. ## Picking Arsenal assets The challenge this week is deciding which Arsenal players to trust for points against Burnley’s porous backline. The team of the week is carefully selected to stay within a £100m budget, simulating a Free Hit chip. Don’t forget to catch the FPL special Q&A session with expert Holly Shand, streaming live on the website at 15:30 BST on Friday. ## Last week’s review The double gameweek was derailed by Pep Roulette, as the previous team of the week managed just 63 points. This serves as a reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in FPL. ## FPL team of the week lineup Goalkeeper: Caoimhin Kelleher, Brentford, £4.8m, facing Crystal Palace (h). Since week 29, Kelleher has secured a clean sheet every other match. Besides Arsenal, few teams offer strong clean sheet prospects this week, making Palace an intriguing option despite their Europa Conference League final distractions. Glasner’s rotation policy may limit key players, but Kelleher remains a solid budget choice. ## Arsenal defense duo Defenders: Gabriel, Arsenal, £6.1m, versus Burnley (h). Gabriel scored 11 points last week, including defensive contributions, making it his only blank in eight appearances—and that was at Manchester City. The team also starts Lewis-Skelly, Arsenal, £4.7m, against Burnley (h). With Burnley at home expected to be an easy task, Lewis-Skelton could thrive in midfield and rack up defensive points. A repeat 15-point haul from Tarkowski would be welcome after his impressive display at Crystal Palace. ## More defensive options Defenders: James Tarkowski, Burnley, £4.9m, hosts Arsenal (a). The fourth-top scoring defender, Tarkowski has earned defensive points in 20 of 35 matches and showcased attacking threat last week. Malick Thiaw, Newcastle United, £4.9m, plays West Ham (h). Thiaw is due a haul, with an xG of 1.06 in his last four games without reward. West Ham have scored once in four outings, creating two-way chance for Thiaw. ## Midfield stars Midfielders: Bruno Fernandes, Manchester United, £10.4m, faces Nottingham Forest (h). Fernandes needs two assists in consecutive games to break the Premier League single-season record. The home clash against a Forest side with nothing to play for could spark a big performance. Casemiro, Manchester United, £5.9m, also plays Nottingham Forest (h). The Brazilian has netted in each of his past three home games for United and may benefit from another Fernandes assist in his final United appearance. ## Budget differentials Midfielders: Hamza Choudhury, Leicester, £4.5m, plays Wolves (h). Sunderland at home offers a favorable fixture for an Everton side chasing European spots, followed by a tougher trip to Spurs where unpredictability reigns. James Garner, Everton, £5.2m, hosts Sunderland (h). Dewsbury-Hall, Leicester, £5.0m, suits a differential pick. He has returned points in four of his past five games and fits neatly within budget constraints. ## Premier League’s top scorer Striker: Erling Haaland, Manchester City, £14.6m, travels to Bournemouth (a). The trip to Bournemouth is hard to predict after City’s last away outing, a 3-3 draw at Everton. Still, Haaland remains in form and City’s title push means ignoring him would be unwise at this late stage. ## Captain pick Captain: Viktor Gyokeres, Arsenal, £9m, faces Burnley (h). Arsenal view this game as an opportunity to boost goal difference amid a potential title decider. Gyokeres has nine league goals at home versus five on the road, with a striking difference in home and away xG—6.2 at Emirates compared to 3.5 elsewhere. Per start, his home impact is more than double: 0.52 per game at home and 0.25 away. He previously delivered a 16-point haul at home against Fulham. ## Brentford’s attacking option Striker: Igor Thiago, Brentford, £7.3m, plays Crystal Palace (h). He returned six points in his last home match, a 3-0 win over West Ham, but could have had a larger haul. The Brazilian crafted two big chances, registered three shots in the box, and missed a clear opportunity. ## Bench options Substitutes include Bernd Leno, Fulham, keeper, £4.9m, at Wolves (a); James Hill, Bournemouth, defender, £4.2m, versus Manchester City (h); James Garner, Everton, midfielder, £5.2m, hosts Sunderland (h); and Rio Ngumoha, Liverpool, midfielder, £4.3m, at Aston Villa (a).